apostle
apos.tle \*-'pa:s-*l\ \-*l-.ship\ n [ME, fr. OF & OE; OF apostle & OE apostol, fr. LL apostolus,]fr. Gk apostolos, fr. apostellein to send away, fr. apo- + stellein to send - more at STALL 1: one sent on a mission : as 1a: one of an authoritative New Testament group sent out to preach the gospel and made up esp. of Christ's 12 original disciples and Paul 1b: the first prominent Christian missionary to a region or group 2: one who initiates a great moral reform or first advocates any important belief or system 3: the highest ecclesiastical official in some church organizations 4: one of a Mormon administrative council of 12 men - apos.tle.ship n
Webster's English Dictionary